I write this post as 'Bonita Berrybum' as that is my blackberry pin name based on A tribe called Quest's song 'Bonita Applebum' (click to see the video) I just replaced the apple with a berry cause it's blackberry... but people never seem to get it! It seems obvious to me perhaps they just aren't aware of the song and think I have a fruity porn star alto ego just dying to be unleashed!Any who (I kinda strayed from the point a bit lol) I've had a blackberry for ages now and I love it. It's everything you need in one package: the Internet, e-mails pushed straight through to your phone, blackberry pin, Facebook, MSN or any other social networking site you might use it's just an all around solution allowing you to keep in touch with people and organise your life. So as you can see although blackberry's are known to have their technical faults...it's nothing but love between me and my berry.
Now when I first got my blackberry I got quite a lot of stick from people mainly things like 'oh why've you got that big ugly phone...' 'your blackberry always crashes haha!' you get the gist! And it was also quite lonely in the blackberry club (not that we minded) I only had 4 or 5 blackberry contacts on my pin that I could converse with, we were the elite few that recognised the benefits of being berry!
Fast forward a year and the scene is completely different! Long gone are they days where I had 4 blackberry contacts now I'm close to 40! And the funniest thing is that everyone that used to criticise me and my blackberry has now joined the club. It seems strange to me as blackberry's have not changed during that time, the features are still exactly the same maybe they look slightly better but trust me any improvement is appearance is definitely minute. The only thing that's changed is the last year is blackberry's popularity especially amongst younger people. I work in a phone shop and the increase in the sales of blackberry's especially since the start 0f 2009 is beyond belief!
So it seems that once a product gets 'socially validated' everyone wants one which I think is just totally ridiculous! If you truly like something you should get it and if you don't like it then DON'T get it! As adults our choices should not be so greatly influenced by what's popular and what everyone else around us has...it just shows how much people love to follow fashion! Not me though I do my own thing, I have a very berry mind of my own!
You are right people do love to follow fashion. Saying that I want a Blackberry so I can twitter when I am en route and check VIP emails when I am out of office. Plus they look cute and stylish; a bit like me really.
ReplyDeletelol @ Ondo Lady. To be honest I only want a Blackberry for it's organisational qualities and so people wont stop moaning at me for not being in contact with them (ahem Muffin) they've got that three messaging service, so no more moaning after this week.
ReplyDeletethree? I meant free (wow)
ReplyDeleteNice blog. But here comes my long response. lol
ReplyDeleteI actually cant stand the blackberry, not for any fault of the actual product or its features, but the hype that is built on having one. As I am sure you know I have an Nokia e71, which Broadband and Yourself (Muffin) refer to as the 'fake Blackeberry', but I am goin to explain to you why I picked it over the Berry.
1) I can be obsesively ultra introvert or rebelious when faced with 'must have possesions' such as the blackbery. I sometimes seek individuality to the point where I actually would overlook a product or brand because I simply dont want to be a sheep. In a way this is just as bad as a person who does the opposite, so in no way shape or form am I trying to say I am right or vice versa. 2) The Nokia e71 has nearly as much features as the Blackberry, plus podcasting, which has been helpful to my final year studies, making my commuting to uni much more efficient as I can download lecture podcasts. 3) I consider it to be more stylish, hence the Mettallic finish.
There are so many other reasons, but I cant think of em now.
But I leave you with this note. Think about the people you know with a Blackberry and E71 who dont actually need to access work emails. You will find that those that own the E71 are more on the introvert (individualistic side) where as the Blackberry owners tend to be more out goin and on what I would some times call 'Images'...(not saying I am better, but as a person who constently flirts with former you can see why I dont want to follow the hype).
If you go raves, you will see every1 showing of the Blackberries, because that is the type of people that buy the Berry(if not for business purpose) same reason you wont see me in raves.
But like I am currently writing in my Post-graduate project, the obsession or choice for certain brands is caused by people battling between the paradox of the need for individuality and the need to 'belong or accepted'. That is why we all wear Nike, Adidas etc (To fit in or be accepted) but we choose different colours and materials (to express our individuality)...it is that paradox that makes it easy for brands such as Nokia and Blackberry to remain competitive without really being innovative, because one phone is made for people who cant stand the other, when really the features are the same.
Sorry I went off one, but I just had to drop my 2 pence :p
Ondo Lady you're right it is really good for doing any tasks on the go and you'll never miss an important e-mail (unless your bb crashes of course!)
ReplyDeleteBroadband you're the ideal candidate for a bb or else I'd never hear from you! :p
Now on to Mas... you went deep! But I have to say that I completely agree with you on every level (well except for e71 being more stylish :p)in regards to point 1) I am exactly like you if I see something that everyone flocks to I go out of my way to avoid it I hate baitness in general and bait products are no exception! Ed Hardy for example to me his designs are some of the ugliest things I've seen but obviously they may appeal to some people but not all the people that wear the clothes or else they would have been rocking that style for years they would have just gone down Camden market!
It's like people are just drawn to hype like a magnet and it really annoys me to the point where I feel like I don't want a bb anymore. Everyone and their cat has one now and even the way they use it is hype! They wanna add everyone to their pin I got people I hardly talk to asking "what's your pin?" like you don't have my number what makes you think you can have my pin. Guys are even tryna use it as a less invasive way of drawing a girl " oh I can't have your number so ok...how about your pin? It's just ridiculous! I went off on one now but yeah I totally feel you. I feel pissed cause I got my bb when there was no hype only old business men had it and now these sheep want to act like I'm part of their flock!
Bravo Mas!! I agree with you. Unfortunately the Berry is the only way I can communicate to the complainers. Solid argument
ReplyDeleteI knew that would happen, the pin is an easy way to draw girls lol.
ReplyDeleteQuestion?:
What happens when you actually like the product, that every1 is hyping? Coz I felt the same about the iPod, but after a while I realised that I kind of needed it. So what I did was buy another set of headphones, so I can differentiate myself from the rest, coz most people had the white headphones, you just knew it was Apple. Plus the iPod headphones are useless. lol.
I can go over the top at times. But I am slowly finding that the more we all try to be different the more a like we end up becoming when it is said and done.
Being yourself and being normal is the new "swagger" Dont Ya Kno!!
ReplyDelete